IDET 2025: TRL Drones Czechia introduces Interceptor AI powered autonomous kinetic C UAS for drone defense.

On May 28, 2025, the Interceptor Autonomous Kinetic Drone C-UAS from Czech firm TRL Drones made a remarkable appearance at IDET 2025, capturing attention across the international defense community. The growing need to counter increasingly sophisticated hostile drones, whether in swarm or individual attacks, has made AI-powered C-UAS systems one of the hottest segments in today’s air defense market. Designed as a reusable hard-kill solution, the Interceptor answers critical capability gaps for military forces seeking fast, flexible, and affordable options to neutralize airborne threats.
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Development of the Interceptor reflects years of innovation by TRL Drones, a Czech firm that has specialized in tactical UAVs and drone countermeasures (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)

The Interceptor is an AI-powered unmanned aerial vehicle optimized for hard-kill interception of Class I & II drones. With a take-off weight of 2.5 kg, a wingspan of 1500 mm, and a 1 kg payload, it operates across a range of 60 km at speeds up to 250 km/h. Its core advantage lies in its optical AI guidance, allowing full autonomous operation from launch to impact. Designed with 3D-printed components and a carbon fiber frame, the drone is rapidly producible and highly agile. Its Auto Box Launcher enables near-instant deployment, with a response time of under five seconds. In addition to its AI-powered target recognition, the drone employs visual-inertial odometry (VIO) for navigation in GPS-denied environments, a critical feature in modern electronic warfare scenarios.

Development of the Interceptor reflects years of innovation by TRL Drones, a Czech firm that has specialized in tactical UAVs and drone countermeasures. The project began in response to military requests for low-cost alternatives to short-range missiles, which are often disproportionate in cost and unsuitable for dealing with swarm attacks. Drawing from experience in optical AI and autonomous navigation, TRL Drones introduced this system in late 2024, and its operational testing with Czech Armed Forces and select European partners accelerated its readiness for the broader market. IDET 2025 marks its first major international presentation, signaling readiness for export.

Compared to traditional C-UAS systems, such as radar-guided interceptors or directed energy weapons, the Interceptor offers notable advantages: affordability, tactical flexibility, and independence from heavy ground infrastructure. While similar kinetic drone interceptors like Anduril’s Anvil or Elbit’s Red Sky C-UAS concepts are advancing, TRL’s reusable platform with AI-guided optical navigation offers faster response times and resilience in jamming-intensive environments, which are now typical in modern battlefields such as Ukraine. Historically, C-UAS systems have leaned heavily on either electronic jamming or costly missiles, and the Interceptor’s development shows the clear trend toward kinetic autonomy.

Strategically, this product fits within the shifting European and NATO defense priorities toward layered air defense that includes kinetic drone interceptors. With increasing drone use in irregular warfare, border security, and even naval contexts, nations are seeking scalable systems that can be fielded at battalion and tactical levels. The Interceptor’s capacity to autonomously neutralize swarm attacks directly supports force protection, forward base security, and urban defense missions. Geopolitically, European nations are keen to foster indigenous drone defense technologies to reduce reliance on US or Israeli imports, positioning TRL Drones well for future contracts.

The Interceptor represents a clear evolution in the fast-moving C-UAS sector, demonstrating how European industry can innovate agile and affordable autonomous systems for modern battlefield needs. In an era where drone threats continue to multiply and diversify, the ability to neutralize them with reusable AI-powered UAVs marks a decisive shift in operational doctrine, and one that defense planners worldwide will be watching closely after IDET 2025.